Improvement in plant-protector



WlLLIAM B. WICKES, OF SHARON, MASSACHUSETTS.

Letters Patent No. 87,313, dated Febmafrfy 23, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN PLANT-PROTECTOR.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making pa'rt of the same.

To all to whom these presents shall come:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM B. WIcKEs, of Sharon, in the county of Norfolk, and State of Massachusetts,

have u raile an invention of a new and useful Improve' ment in Plant-Protectors; and do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description- Figure 3 is a section of the device if a folded state.A

My present invention has reference to that class of plant-protectors in which a cylinder or case of gauze or netting is employed as a means of protecting plant-s from the ravages of insects, or bugs, or worms, of any description, such netting orshield being combined with a hoop, which rests closely upon or enters somewhat into the earth, in order to prevent access being had to the interior of the netting from below such hoop.

This invention relates to means, first, for providing ample room for the plants, as they increase in growth and leaves; and, secondly, in constructing a plant-protector in such manner, and when productive of new and advantageous results, as that it 'may be contracted and folded into small compass, for transportation or storage.

The invention consists in a skeleton-frame, composed, in the present instance, of two hoops, united by an inverted bag of gauze-netting, the lower hoop ot' the two being provided with two or more folding legs or stakes, for atlixing the device in proper position upon the ground and about the plant, the parts, thus combined, being susceptible of being closely folded together, or contracted into small compass, as shown in tig. 3 o f the accolnp'auying drawings.

The reader, by referring to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate iny invention,\A\vill sec that a plant protector, as embodying my present invention,

is shown at A, as composed of two hoops, a b, of any suitable material, such hoops being united by an 1nverted bag, c, of gauze netting, or other suitable textile fabric. The gauze bag is intended to'be of nearly equal d1- amcter throughout, in order to provide ample space for permitting an undisturbed growth and expansion of the plant enclosed by it, my invent-ion, in this re spect, possessing great advantages over others of its class now in use.

To the interior periphery of the uppermost hoop, I hinge two or more legs or supports, del, &c., .such legs serving vthe double purpose of maintaining the ganze-leg in an upught and distended condition, and of sustaining it firmly in position upon the ground, about a plant, against accidental Inisplacement i'om birds,

gusts of wind, &c., it being understood that the lowerY most horop, In practice, is pressed partially or wholly into the ground, about such plant.

When not wanted fornsc, the above device may be l folded into verysmall compass, as exhibited in iig. 3 of the accompanying drawings, in which condition it is in a very convenient and compact state for storage or transportation.

I would remark that I do not wish to confine myf self to the circular form of the hoops a b, as such hoops or supports may be square o'r polygonal.

Claim. 

